Hozelock Electronic Self-Watering System

LunarSea

Has anyone here any experience of the two Hozelock systems currently on the market? I want one that connects to a tap, is battery-powered and is user-programmable. The two I'm looking at are the AC Plus and the AC1.

We currently have an old B&Q one which still works but is really fiddly to program. My OH is coming up to a big birthday so I thought I'd get her a better one for all her pots & baskets.

JennyJ

I used to have an AC1, until it died when I forgot to bring it in before the first frost one winter. Since then I've had a cheaper one and find the programming no more fiddly.

LunarSea

Thanks Jenny. Our tap is just inside the attached garage so frost shouldn't be a problem. Which one do you have now, and what (apart from cost) made you go for that one?

JennyJ

I have this one https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004HKV1EI/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 but it's now quite a bit more expensive than it was when I bought it in 2019. It does everything that I need it to do so I say no need to spend more.

KT53

I've used the AC Plus for several years.  The reason for chosing that one is the ability to have multiple watering periods per days right through to potentially one per week, and watering duration from a couple of minutes up.  I remove mine at the end of summer as it's used for watering hanging baskets and pots.

Uff

I think I bought mine around 2018 so it's probably the AC Plus, I can confirm tomorrow. It's great, never had a problem with it, easy to use the multiple watering options and covers all watering needs

Uff

I've just checked mine @LunarSea and mine must be the one before the one you're thinking of buying, see pic, it's the AC 1

Topbird

Take a look at the Gardena controllers as well. I'm migrating all my connectors etc over to that brand because I think they're better than Hoselock. All my Hoselock connectors etc developed annoying little leaks after a relatively short period but the Gardena ones just seem a tad more robust.

When it comes to timers I strongly recommend you buy one with very flexible programmes (see KT53's post). I have used a timer for watering pots on a south facing patio which needed 15 mins morning and evening every day. Last year I used the same timer for a drip line under a new hedge which needed 1 hour every 3 days.

Before that I had a simple timer which just did a set length of time every day at the same time. That was inadequate for dealing with different scenarios. 

LunarSea

Thanks for your input everyone 

@Uff - I'm looking at Hozelock's 25 pot kit, which comes with tubing, connectors, drippers etc. and should be supplied with the AC Plus but some people have reported theirs arrived with the AC 1. They both do the same thing, it's just the user interface is slightly different. Both give the same level of control that @Topbird & @KT53 were suggesting. But I'll take a look at what Gardena have to offer cos' I too like the quality of their products.

@JennyJ - I could go for a cheaper one as you suggest but I'm trying to steer away from ones that have a small LCD control panel. Our peepers are not as good as they were nowadays and we find small visual displays rather fiddly. I saw one that had two separate programmable outlets which would be ideal for OH as she could then run her basket line and pot line separately. Unfortunately the reviews suggest they're not too reliable. What did we do before on-line reviews?

So at this point the Hozelock complete kits are still the favourite. But I will definitely look at Gardena.

JennyJ

Mine has no LCD display, just two dials, one for duration and one for frequency. The text is maybe a bit small but I can read it without my glasses on, so good enough. I use a Y splitter on my tap with the timer on one side so I can use the other if I want to use a hosepipe. I also have some in-line switches in my watering system so I can turn particular sections on and off, eg the line that waters the tomato pots is off until they go out, same for the baskets, but the pots might be on earlier in the year. I did look at dual/multiple timers but they were more than I wanted to spend and as you say, the reviews weren't great.

LunarSea

JennyJ said:

Mine has no LCD display, just two dials, 

Sorry Jenny, I didn't look properly did I